on our broadcast tonight, playing defense. the president gets an earful from folks who don't want to hear what was announced today, that the recession is over. correcting the record. president carter makes a change in something he told us today about his fellow former presidents. is it safe to change the genetic makeup of salmon and will you know it when you see it? on thin ice, some magnificent creatures whose home ice is literally melting out from under them. a big change happening right now. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. the folks who study recessions

have determined this one is the longest since world war ii, where they might differ from the rest of us, however, is their view, their contention that the recession is now over. and that it lasted 18 months. that doesn't go over well with the millions of americans wondering how their own situation will improve. it's a sentiment the president ran right into today in a town meeting televised live onc nbc and featuring a does of humanity during this rough time. we begin with white house correspondent savannah guthrie. >> reporter: there are those technical measures that economists talk about, then there is the reality on the ground. today, the president got a dose of the latter. >> thank you very much. thank you, guys. >> reporter: as the economic experts today were putting an official end date on the recession, at a cnbc sponsored town hall, the president was getting an earful from americans still reeling for it. >> i voted for a man who said he

was going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. i'm one of those people, and i'm waiting, sir. i'm waiting. i don't feel it yet. >> i really want to know is the american dream dead for me? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: the president, forced to acknowledge again, the primary economic indicator for most americans isn't budging. >> i can describe what's happening to the economy overall, but if you're out of work right now, the only thing you're going to be hearing is when do i get a job? >> reporter: the national bureau of economic research announced today the recession technically ended in june 2009, 18 months after it started in december 2007. in the process, the economy shed 7.3 million jobs, the worst downturn since the great depression. and one hard to climb out of. >> we suffered such large job losses that it's going to take two, three years until the economy gets back to where it was in 2007. that's going to be very long and

painful process. >> reporter: with many employers still too nervous to hire until they're sure the recovery is real, the one thing americans need most is the last thing to come back. >> there's still several trillion dollars sitting in banks and large corporations that don't feel like it's over. they're not hiring, they're not building plants, they're not investing. >> no, the recession is not over yet. we have a long way to go. >> reporter: as the economy recovers, a lot of people who just gave up looking for work will start looking again and because the government measures unemployment by who is looking for work, we could see the employment rate tick up again. some think it will hit double digits before this is all over. >> savannah, thanks. cnbc's john harwood moderated today's town hall event. he's with us from the site in washington. john, give us a sense of the room, sense of the president. by that, i mean all this talk about him connecting or not with people. today, some of the people with

you there decided they needed to be heard. >> reporter: exactly, brian. the president faces this remarkable squeeze play. people on wall street, people in the business community say he's hostile, say he's anti-business. yet if you look at this poll we did understand clear did for the town hall today, most americans say the president's policies are helping big business and wall street and not them. so he had to address both audiences, assure business who he wants to take some of those billions and billions and begin investing them, that he's not going to make their lives more difficult, but tell the average americans like that exhausted woman whose sound bite you played a moment ago, that he's on the case and he's trying. she just has to have more patience before the results come. >> it's more than just him. he's defending in many ways an entire party with these elections coming. >> he's defending the entire party and trying to do two things, go on the attack and make the case his policies have made life better from losing

700,000 jobs a month as was happening when he took office, to gaining private sector jobs now. but also create a contrast with the bush administration and republican rule before that is very critical for democrats to have someone to run against, not to make it a referendum on the president and on the performance of the obama administration. if that's what it is, they're not going to do well at all. >> john harwood in washington today. thanks for that. 43 days to go to be exact before those midterm elections. the tea party, as you may know, getting all the buzz, a lot of attention from the press and it has the established parties worried for different and separate reasons. also means a lot of new scrutiny for some new candidates like delaware republican christine o'donnell. our own kelly o'donnell reports. >> reporter: delaware's tea party star christine o'donnell dismissed the sudden flow of old tv appearances as a vained attraction from real issues.

>> i dabbled in witchcraft. i never joined a coven. >> reporter: bill mauer's show was taped just before halloween 11 years ago. o'donnell said that was about high school. >> i hung around people who were doing these things. >> reporter: in front of voters last night, she tried to turn it into a punchline. >> there's been no witchcraft since. if there was, karl rove would be a supporter now. >> reporter: today,ush limbaugh said o'donnell's past is getting unfair scrutiny. >> we know more about christine o'donnell right now than we know about obama. >> reporter: today, the president said the tea party should offer answers, not just anger. >> the challenge i think for the tea party movement is to identify specifically what would you do. >> reporter: democrats focussed their fire on o'donnell's finances. >> o'donnell spends money she doesn't have. >> reporter: this year'donnell paid the irs more than $11,000 in back taxes owed from 2005. today, watch dog groups accused

her of misusing funds from an earlier campaign. in a sworn affidavit, a former campaign aids said she spent donations on personal experiences, including rent, gas, and meals. they deny those allegations, and says they take very seriously the "sanctity of donations." analysts say this year many voters aren't as interested in candidate's background. >> i think they're paying less attention to the personal experiences, credentials, qualities, and looking more at just will this person shake things up? >> reporter: and rattling the establishment has become the campaign promise of 2010. kelly o'donnell, nbc news, washington. former president jimmy carter visited the studio today, part of a media blitz to promote his new book, his 25th book. this one his white house diary as president. he will be 86 in a few days and president carter has written a

brutally honest book detailing his feelings on the job 30 years ago. it was when i asked him about a recent photo that he said something that received some unwanted attention today. the last photo of you with your fellow former presidents, you were well off to the side on the right, and i thought to myself, there's a possible metaphor. what is it about you, you think, the way you've decided to conduct your life in post presidency? do you feel listened to? do you feel that you receive your due or do you feel in fact apart from the crowd? >> no, i feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents. primarily because of the active iv of the carter center on

environment and things of that kind, we're right in the middings of the constant debate. and the carter center has decided, under my leadership, to fill vacuums in the world. when the united states won't deal with troubled areas, we go there and we meet with leaders who can bring an end to a conflict or human rights abuse. so i feel we have an advantage over many other former presidents in being involved in daily affairs that have shaped the policies of the world. >> that quote in there from president carter contending he's played a role superior to that of other presidents is the one that didn't go over very well today, raised a lot of attention and eyebrows, prompting mr. carter to put out a further statement explaining "what i meant was for 27 years, the carter center has provided me with superior opportunities to do good."

back in the studio, we continued the conversation about current politics. as you look at your present day united states, how often do you get depressed? is the glass half empty or half full? what worries you? >> this country has become so polarized that it's almost astonishing. not only with the red and blue states, but now because of the massive influx of money into the campaigns, so there's practically no relationship anymore between democrats and republicans once they're elected to the house or senate. dramatically different from what it was when i was president. i enjoyed a bipartisan interrelationship in washington, which no longer exists. now i think president obama suffers from the most polarized situation in washington that we've ever seen, even maybe in the time of abraham lincoln and the initiation of the war between the states.

>> how do you think it came to be that such high numbers of people believe that this american-born christian president is either foreign born or muslim or both? >> i think the number one factor is fox news, just totally distorting everything possible concerning the facts. and i think their constant hammering away at these false premises about our incumbent president has a major impact on the consciousness of america. a lot of well-meaning people, including many of those in the tea party movement, believe what is said in this constant hammering away by glenn beck and by others who have no regards for the truth. >> former president jimmy carter had a lot more to say during our conversation today about ted kennedy, ronald reagan, his own daughter, his speed reading course, and a white house

showdown over mice in the oval office. we've put it on our website, nightly.nbc.com. now we turn to the gulf of mexico where an awful episode has ended. bp this weekend said it has finally and permanently shut down the blownout oil well. the company announced today it's joining the consortium of the world's biggest oil companies to develop a rapid response plan for any future gulf well accidents, but the effects of this one are a long way from over. our chief environmental affairs correspondent anne thompson, as you may know, has covered this story from the very start and is in new orleans again tonight. anne, good evening. >> reporter: good evening. over the weekend, the 1,000 foot cement plug at the bottom of the well with stood a pressure test. with that, the national incident commander thad allen declared the well dead. it certainly is a significant milestone, but as you said, it is by no means the end to this crisis.

five months after the explosion, there is still oil in the marshes of southeast louisiana. tar balls continue to wash up on some beaches. scientists are finding plumes of crude thousands of feet below the surface of the gulf, and now on the sea floor that they suspect comes from bp's well. all of that is making it very difficult for this area to recover. today, some 40,000 square miles, almost 17% of the gulf of mexico, remains closed to fishing. louisiana seafood production is devastated, down 70%. and tourism industries along the gulf coast, hotels, restaurants, they also report similar declines in business. this area has a big public relations problem that neither a presidential visit or presidential endorsements nor ad campaigns have solved so far. and it is just one of many challenges facing this area in

the wake of the oil spill. brian? >> anne thompson in new orleans for us tonight. anne, thanks as always. when our broadcast continues here on a monday night, should fish that's been genetically alterdened up as part of your own diet? later, the meltdown that's left some magnificent creatures in a precarious position. agnificent creatures in a precarious position. copd makes it hard for me to breathe.

but with advair, i'm breathing better. so now, i can join the fun and games with my grandchildren. great news! for people with copd, including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both, advair helps significantly improve lung function. while nothing can reverse copd, advair is different from most other copd medications because it contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help you breathe better. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis

and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. i had fun today, grandpa. you and me both. if copd is still making it hard to breathe, ask your doctor if including advair will help improve your lung function for better breathing. get your first full prescription free and save on refills. the fda tonight is considering whether to allow genetically engineered salmon to be sold in stores for human

consumption. the first time such a move has been considered. even though the industry and fda scientists say it's safe, critics are not convinced. our report on it tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: at a fish farm in canada, scientists are turning these tiny atlantic salmon eggs into a sort of super fish, injecting them with a growth hormone from chinook salmon. that causes them to grow twice as fast, meaning twice the harvest. the company, aqua bounty, says the science can relieve overfishing and put more salmon on dinner plates. >> in terms of the appearance, the taste, the texture, and the biology, the salmon is the same. >> reporter: but consumer health and environmental groups have dubbed the salmon franken fish. and ben and jerry's ice cream has launched a something's fishy campaign. against the salmon and any genetically altered animals for consumption. >> today, it's the fish we're talking about. but very soon it will be a

genetically engineered pig, a chicken. >> reporter: at a fish market in d.c. today, mixed reaction. >> just common sense. i think it's not supposed to be healthy. >> would i eat genetically enhanced food? we're already doing it in processed foods. >> reporter: since no one has ever eaten genetically engineered fish before, the concern is of the potential hidden dingers. especially since so many people have violent allergic reactions to fish. fda research has determined the salmon is safe to eat. but the chief scientists today told the fda it's relying on sloppy science. >> the basic point is what little data there is there suggests that there could be an allergy problem, and allergies can be serious and life threatening. >> reporter: if the full fda gives its go ahead, the salmon could be in america's grocery stores within two years. tom costello, nbc news, washington. and when we come back

tonight, remembering the high school gym teacher who made rock 'n' roll history. ♪ rgies are ruining our camping trip. i know who works differently than many other allergy medications. hoo? omnaris. [ men ] omnaris -- to the nose! [ man ] did you know nasal symptoms like congestion can be caused by allergic inflammation? omnaris relieves your symptoms by fighting inflammation. side effects may include headache, nosebleed, and sore throat.

[ inhales deeply ] i told my allergy symptoms to take a hike. omnaris. ask your doctor. battling nasal allergy symptoms? omnaris combats the cause. get omnaris for $11 at omnaris.com. hey what's going on? doing the shipping. man, it would be a lot easier if we didn't have to weigh 'em all. if those boxes are under 70 lbs. you don't have to weigh 'em. with these priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service, if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. no weigh? nope. no way. yeah. no weigh? sure. no way! uh-uh. no way. yes way, no weigh. priority mail flat rate box shipping starts at $4.95, only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship.

the plan we worked on for your retirement makes sense. just stay on track. what is... that's the guidance you get from fidelity. thanks. stay on the line! whatever your destination, fidelity will help you get there. because when it comes to investing, you should never settle. fidelity investments. a wildfire sparked by national guard troops training at a firing range has burned through 3,500 acres in utah. the fire started yesterday at camp williams 30 miles south of salt lake. 1,700 homes had to be evacuated.

40 to 50-mile-an-hour winds pushed this fire over a mountain ridge into a populated area. national guard has suspended artillery practice at the base, and acknowledged tonight it was a mistake to train while red flag fire warnings were posted. big, smoky fire here in new york today as wooden pilings were set ablaze, just underneath an important railroad bridge that snarled commuter rail traffic for hours while it was checked out and declared safe eventually for train traffic. scary moment in a major league baseball game between the cubs and florida marlins. cubs' outfielder tyler colvin was on third base when a teammate's bat splintered. colvin was watching the ball. you saw a broken piece of the bat flew toward him and impaled his chest just under the collarbone. he's still in the hospital tonight in stable condition and expected to stay a few more days for observation. tough hit. high school gym teacher and basketball coach from

jacksonville, florida has died. and with him goes a piece of rock 'n' roll history. he was famous at robert e. lee high school for the day he sent some young men to the principal's office for wearing their hair too long. they later named their band in his honor. they called it lynard skynard. named of their gym teacher, lynard skinner, who has died in a nursing home in riverside, florida. mr. skinner was 77. we're back in a moment with how the world is changing for one of the great creatures of the arctic and how it could be sending some chilling news to the u.s. thank you for calling usa prime credit. my name is...peggy. what is problem, please? peggy? sure...well...suddenly it looks like i'm being charged a $35 annual fee. yes? tell me it's a mistake. yes? are you saying yes or are you asking yes? yes? peggy?

peggy? anncr: want better customer service? switch to discover. ranked #1 in customer loyalty. it pays to discover. introducing total plus omega-3 honey almond flax cereal. all the nutrition of total, plus 10% daily value omega-3 ala, and a delicious honey almond crunch. new total plus omega-3. and a delicious honey almond crunch. words alone aren't enough. our job is to listen and find ways to help workers who lost their jobs to the spill. i'm iris cross. we'll keep restoring the jobs, tourist beaches, and businesses impacted by the spill. we've paid over $400 million in claims and set up a $20 billion independently-run claims fund. i was born in new orleans. my family still lives here. i'm gonna be here until we make this right. [ male announcer ] ever have morning pain slow you down? introducing bayer am,

an extra strength pain reliever with alertness aid tfight fatigue. so get up and get goin'! with new bayer am. the morning pain reliever. ♪ an accidental touch can turn ordinary into something more. moments can change anytime -- just like that. and when they do men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven, low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment is right. tell your doctor about your medical condition and all medications, and ask if you're healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. [ man ] don't drink alcohol in excess with cialis. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache, or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than 4 hours. if you have any sudden decrease or loss in hearing or vision, stopaking cialis and call your doctor right away.

[ male announcer ] ask your doctor if cialis for daily use is right for you. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com. finally here tonight, it's one thing to hear how our planet is changing, getting warmer they say with open water where the ice used to be. it's another thing to actual he see it. you can see it from satellite photos or go there and see how life is changing for one of the great iconic creatures of the north. our own lee cowan made his way to the remote village of point lay on alaska's north slope, where the walrus are congregating. >> reporter: the midnight sun is finally setting here in the

arctic. but as the summer wanes and the dark winter month approach, something isn't right. >> it should have been snow on the ground. >> reporter: jim has lived here most of his life and thought he'd seen everything the arctic had to offer. until he saw this. those are all walrus? >> yeah. >> reporter: tens of thousands of walruses resting on the beach instead of their traditional ice floes. a warning signs that the walrus' icy environment is warming up fast. >> they prefer to use the ice offshore if they can, but if it's gone, they don't have any choice but to come to shore. >> reporter: a report out this month shows it's the third lowest arctic ice level in 30 years. >> we're seeing an arctic in the midst of a very rapid change, and right now there seems to be no signs that it's stopping. >> reporter: and for the natives, that's frightening.

>> scientists say there's global warming going on. >> reporter: do you believe them? >> yeah, i believe them. >> reporter: walruses need the ice to rest on in between feeding. much like polar bears, they can't swim forever. and on land, a risk of a stampede could kill young lves. last year, hundreds were crushed by their easily startled mothers as they lumbered back into the sea for safety. so why here specifically, why point lay? scientists aren't sure. and just how long they will stay or if they come back next year is anybody's guess. you think the walrus will be able to adapt? >> i hope so. >> reporter: what if they can't? >> we're in a lot of trouble. >> reporter: bellwethers of a changing environment in a place where summer is lingering too long. lee cowan, nbc news. point lay, alaska. >> that's our broadcast for this monday night as we start off a new week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

-- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com right now at 6:00, pg&e reese leased more than 20 pages of documents detailing the most high-risk pipelines here in california. i'm lisa kim. >> i'm tom sink co-visit. it has been one of the most asked questions in the wake of the san bruno explosion where are the high-risk pipelines located? in a surprised revelation, the pipeline in san